RCSI Heritage Collections

What has an RCSI President from 1797 and a character from Father Ted have in common??  A weird fondness for cats, it seems.    Here is a quote describing a trait of William Hartigan, President of RCSI in 1797... ' William Hartigan was noted for his fondness of cats. He frequently, on his professional rounds of visits, brought a pair of kittens with him, ensconced in the deep coat-pockets worn early in the last century '. - History of the  Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland by Sir Charles Cameron While below is Father Ted's description of Matty Hislop from the Lent episode of Father Ted called ' Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading '... Ted: 'God almighty, when I think of the sacrifices Matty Hislop made' Dougal: 'Who?' Ted: 'He was a notorious drunkard who found God and then decided to punish himself for his sins. Oh, he used to do all kinds of things. Like he had a terrible allergic reaction to cats. So instead of avoid...

Courtesy of David Carus It's tomorrow! RCSI will celebrate the culture of Dublin and Ireland as well as the cultures of a number of other countries. Culture Night will kick off with a series of special performances at the St Stephen's Green entrance to the College, where you can see a variety of musical and dancing performances that showcase the cultures of just some of the 60+ countries where our students come from. These will take place from 5.30pm until 6pm.  Inside the College, you can take a self-guided tour or talk to a member of the RCSI Culture Night team to learn about the rich heritage and history of RCSI and the part it has played in shaping both local and national history, including when the building was seized by rebels led by Michael Mallin and Countess Markievicz during the 1916 Easter Rising. We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow night. - Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy